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Soft

Light

"Not Expensive"

"Lasts Well"

"Great Colours"

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A stunning but light collection for a smokey eye!

I don’t get to wear eye shadow as much as I’d like nowadays as it’s not really the first thing on my mind when I get up at 5.45 in the morning to go to work, so I only really get to wear it on special occasions. Which is a shame as I love experimenting with colours.

So when I do wear it I use the one that I know works, stays put and blends well – which as the same as a great deal of my make-up is made by Bourjois, a company I trust to make great make up that my skin doesn’t mind having too much.

The smokey eyes trio comes in varying shades from shades of pink, all the way through to black and greys, so you’ll not have trouble finding some shades that fit the colours of your eyes or just a specific colour scheme if you’re on a night out.

You get three separate complimenting colours in your shadow tray, from dark through to light in varying shades of the colour you’ve chosen, each are in rounded domes in the tray and are very light and easy to pick up either on a brush or on the two ended sponge provided.

It takes a couple of coverings to get your colour quite as perfect as I like it, but the eye shadow is so soft and light piling it on doesn’t matter because it doesn’t weigh down your eyelids, especially when you want shocking colour on your lids. Bonus is that it’ll last all day as well, even on a night out I can happily apply and come getting come at night it will still be there, sometimes more than my blusher actually!

To remove, easy either use a wipe or eye make-up remover and you’re good to go, although it may look bright and stunning on – it is very easy to remove and I’ve never had any sort of skin reaction to the item. So will continue to keep using it for as long as they make the colours I like!

At £7.99 in Boots, I’m quite happy that they last a good 6 months if not more for an infrequent wearer, so I cannot complain at the quality of that. The Bourjois name stands for itself!

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A useful addition to a minimal make up bag.

This eyeshadow trio was a bit of an extreme addition to my make up bag, not being a keen make-up wearer. I bought it along with a single Bourjois eyeshadow for one new years' eve. I paid more than I would normally pay (around £6 I recall) but I was drawn in by the shimmery look to the three eyeshadows in the pallete.

I bought the purple shades, (sorry - violet romantic!) and in the trio is a whitish shade, a lilac and a much darker purple. All three have a very noticeable shimmer and shine to them and each one is around 1.5cm diameter, making this about 6cm diameter in total and a very handbag-friendly eyeshadow. Each one is 1.5g.

Also in there is a twin-end applicator, which is basically the two applicators, each one about a centimetre long, and a flat circular pad in between them, also about a centimeter, which is shaped like it is, I presume, to make it easier to hold. For something so tiny, it does the job and would be handy out and about, but if you have a different make up brush to hand I'm sure that would be better.

The pallete itself looks good quality, see through plastic over the extent of the eyeshadows themselves and solid purple down one side with a silver (plastic) button at the front which you press to open. As it's by Bourjois Paris, the text around the edge of the lid, and on the back is in French primarily and then in English.

On the back of the pallete is a diagram of an eye, showing how best to apply the three different shades to achieve the desired effect of the product. It advises "sculpt" with the dark shade, "blend and stretch" with the medium shade and "illuminate" with the light shade. To someone really unfamiliar and not using make up very often, the diagram itself is not enough to instill confidence as the the areas to apply to are ambiguous, but nevertheless it does give some guidance.

When I applied it I found the three shadows to be almost silky in texture. They are quite powdery, so you do tend to get quite a bit of dust spilling around the edges, but they applied easily and looked good. The shimmer in the much lighter shade was definitely noticeable, although the darker shades less so. Maybe I was still being over-cautious in the thickness I applied, I imagine if you apply more heavily, the shimmery effect would be more noticeable. When I have worn these eyeshadows for a night out I have never noticed any deterioration throughout the evening, and come the end of the night they are easy to remove.

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Lovely trio of eye shadows

I don't wear make up every day but when I do wear it I like to spend some time and care over applying it. I liked to try out different effects and so when I saw this trio of eye shadows which help give you 'smoky eyes' I couldn't resist buying it- more out of curiosity than anything, just to see what it would be like with all colours blended together that compliment each other so well. It caught my eye in the display in Superdrug as it just looked so pretty and I couldn't resist buying it. It was £8 which I think is reasonable and I have paid much more before for just two eye shadows together so for 3 I was quite happy especially as I trust Bourjois and think it is a very good quality brand.

Smoky Eyes make up

Within this eye shadow case you get 3 different shades of colour all which compliment each other well. There were several different collections you could buy and I went for the purple range. This includes a very pale lilac, a mid purple and a new rich darker purple, these together look so pretty in the case that I found it hard to resist them and could see how they would also look really pretty when applied too. There were other trios including a brown-based one and a green-based too and I must admit it was hard to choose which one to go for as they were all so appealing! I chose this colour combination in the end because when I had my colours done a few years ago the make up lady had recommended I wear blues and purples.

The case is round and plastic but sturdy enough to be protective. The majority of the lid is see through so you can see inside and I like that, I think it makes it look even more appealing and tempting to use. It opens up by you just unclipping the lid and opening it, it's very easy to do, no problems with that at all. It then reveals the three shades of eyeshadow which are round, ball shaped individual shadows and are slightly bigger than a 5p. They have about 2mm between them which isn't much but it's better than them being right up against each other, I have an eye shadow combination where they are so close and low down it's hard to keep them clean. These are raised which makes it easier to just use the one shadow and not have your applicator brush against the one next to it too. Within the case you get a little applicator which is plastic and has a spongy section on each side of it. I always like it when applicators have two ends especially when it comes in a trio case like this as you need enough applicators to make it work.

When I apply this make up I do tend to us the applicator that comes with it, although it's only small I am used to using them so find that it works well for me because it's small I feel like I have more control over it when applying the shadow but I know some people prefer to use a brush applicator than a sponge.

The three colours are chosen together because they compliment each other perfectly which makes applying this eye shadow really easy- I don't need to route through my make up bag trying to find different combinations of eyeshadow that I think will go together, I don't need to waste time trying to choose between two shades as this is all done for me and I know they go really well together. I tend to use the lightest colour as a base and apply it to my eye lid area as a whole. It's a very pale lilac with a slight shimmer to it, it is subtle though and doesn't over make my face at all but just gives a nice slight colour and is the perfect base for adding the rest. I tend to use the darker colour at the end of my eye lid to help make my eyes appear bigger and more 'open' and I find that blending it into the lighter colour really works well, no problems with that at all. The mid shade I use more in the middle of my eye making a gradual effect from light to dark but in a blended way so it doesn't look ridiculous but very subtle!

Applying this is easy, the eyeshadow comes away from the palette and onto the applicator well and comes away onto my eyelid really easily, I don't have to press on hard or keep going back for more, usually just one application is enough to have the effect that I am after. You can really use this make up to have as dramatic a look as you wish to go for. If I wear this during the day I keep it lighter, use less of the darker shade, perhaps just stick to the light and the mid tones so it's more subtle, less effort to apply and doesn't stand out too much but for an event or in the evening I apply more, use all three tones, go for a more dramatic look.

I really like wearing this make up because it is really pretty. The colours blend perfectly and the effect is lovely, because they compliment each other so well. You can really make this just as dramatic as you like depending upon what look you are going for. One thing I have noticed is that it's really light, it doesn't matter how dark a look I go for it still feels light on my eyelids and doesn't make my eyes feel heavy and tired like other brands have done previously.

When wearing this I don't find that it will stay looking perfect all day, after a couple of hours it begins to fade and it does need to be reapplied but I have found this to be the case with most eyeshadows. Removing it at the end of the day is easy enough, I usually use cleansing wipes and these remove any shadow that is still remaining really effortlessly.

And finally

I will definitely be buying more of these trio eye shadows because they are really lovely and easy to apply. I like that the colours compliment each other so well which makes it easier and less time for me to apply as the matching up of tones has already been done for me. The effect these have are lovely and it's a good way to blend colours and for those who haven't done it before learn how too. I like the case it comes in as I like being able to see inside at the colours and how the shadows are raised up out of the case making it easier to apply them. This is a good quality product and I think paying £8 for them is a very reasonable price to pay. I bought mine from Superdrug but I know you can also buy this brand from Boots too and other high street shops.

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A fab product from Bourjois! The shades seem specific for your colour preferences so choose wisely!

With the recent trend for smokey eyes, and my existing addiction to Bourjois eyeshadows, I decided to give this a go. I picked the "blue rock" one, as I have blue eyes and it looked wearable for a blue colour (no 80s revivals!!!) as it is dark and sultry. The lighter colour of the 3 is very wearable - I often wear this on its own. This will probably mean that this bit will run out first. The middle shade (which is bluey on my colour choice) blends great over the top, and is dramatic but not overpowering. The darkest shade of the 3 is supposed to be used to line the eyes, but I don't really do this - I do a thick "line" above the outside corner of my eyes, then blend well into the middle colour. I then add my usual black kohl eyeliner.

The eyeshadows feel like they are the same formula as the single little round pots, which is a great formula - it feels like the particles are fine, so it goes on really smoothly and the colour stays highly pigmented and lasts well, which is what you want with a bolder eye look - no slippage please!! The packaging is lovely, and all in all, this is a great little palette.

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A lovely palette of colours that blend nicely together.

I usually stick to only two shades of eyeshadow, these being grey for a night time or a nude colour for during the day. I already own a Bourjois little round pot eyeshadow already in a glittery grey and as much as I love it, I often choose not to apply it for day wear due to the fact its glittery and so need to take my time when applying it to ensure I do not get glitter all over my face! When it is on I do love the results though and so when I decided I wanted some colourful eyeshadows I decided to look at what was available by Bourjois first.

Bourjois 'Smoky eyes eyeshadow' is a palette of 3 different shades in one. There are a few different shades to choose from and not just that shown in the image above. There is a list of the different shades available on the Boots website, but that does not describe the colours in detail and so instead of listing their proper names in this review, I will just decribe the different colours. From what I can remember there was the several in the collection consisting of greys, pinks, purples, blues, greens and browns. All of which have 3 different coloured eyeshadows in them, but that go with each other, after all they are desgined so that all 3 colours can be blended in with each other when applying.

I purchased the shade 'rose vintage' which is the pink colours. The lightest shade is a nude/white colour, next a pale pink and lastly a darker pink, all of which have a shimmery effect to them. I often wear the pale pink colour by itself, but for a night out I will blend all 3 shades and they really do give a nice colourful effect. When I think of smoky eyes I tend to think of greys and blacks and so I don't like to say these give my eyes a 'smoky effect', not unless I then use my eyeliner afterwards to do so.

As I stated my other Bourjois eyeshadow I own is very glittery and so can be quite messy when applying if not careful. However, I do not have this problem with these 3 eyeshadows as they aren't as glittery, instead they just look shimmery. The palette comes with a little double ended eyeshadow application brush that I use to apply it to my eyelids, it is only small but just the right size to be able to apply it neatly. A lot of the time I cannot use little eyeshadow brushes that you get included as they tend to be too small that I just cannot get a good hold of them!

I really love my palette of eyeshadows and would buy this again in another shade if there is one I like. Although as a result of getting 3 in 1 it does mean they are slightly smaller than those that are in the little round pots, but I still think they will last for quite some time. I have been using mine for around a month now and I can#t even see the bottom of the eyeshadow that you get when you start to run out.

These are priced at £7.99 each which I think is reasonable considering you get three different colours. It is currently in a 3 for 2 promotion at Boots along with all cosmetics and so if you wanted to purchase more then it could work out slightly cheaper.

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Eyeshadow 'trio' compacts that are highly recommended from me!

I have found myself purchasing more and more items from the Bourjois brand over the past few years as I have found the majority of their products have been of a very high quality and have performed exceptionally well. I had tried out one of the "Smoky Eyes" compacts containing three individual shades of eye colour in the past and had really liked it.

When I got my make-up done professionally on my wedding day a few years back, the make-up artist had created a stunning effect on my dark eyes, using shades of pale pink with a pearl-like tone. She then applied thick, heavy lines of eyeliner with a 'flicked' effect to the upper eyelid and the end result was very 1950's........ exactly what I had been hoping for. I was delighted with the end result and was keen to try and recreate the look for myself. This search brought me to the Bourjois counter in my local branch of Boots, where I knew I had previously seen the ideal item for recreating this "vintage" style...

Packaged in a sturdy plastic 'compact', the Bourjois Smoky Eyes containers are coloured to correspond with their eye shadow contents. In the case of the two I have - 03 "Mordore Chic" which contains shades of bronze alongside a dark, chocolate brown, and 05 "Rose Vintage" which contains a deep pink colour alongside two lighter pink shades, the compacts are coloured brown and pink respectively. A large section of the compact 'lid' is see-through however, so we are able to see the powdery eye shadows contained within quite easily. A small, sponge-tipped applicator is provided in each plastic compact and this has an applicator on each end, which is common practice with an eye shadow compact containing more than two shades in my experience. The compact can be opened quite easily thanks to the sturdy clasp on the front. The small metal button underneath this clasp can be pushed easily and this allows the clasp to open. I have been using some of my Smoky Eyes compacts for absolute months and they have never broken or cracked, so I think the packaging is extremely sturdy and robust.

For the purposes of this review, I will concentrate on the 05 shade which is the "Rose Vintage" combination, although I have used several of the Smoky Eyes trios and have liked them all. There are in fact around ten different colour combinations, ranging from subtle 'nude' like shades to more intense colour combinations such as blacks/greys and blue type hues.

My Rose Vintage compact of course contains three shades of powdery eye shadow. The palest is a subtle pearl-like pink with the middle shade being more 'rose' like in its essence. The final - and darkest - shade is much more intense, being what I would describe as a pale 'raspberry' type shade.

I have found that the three colours compliment each other perfectly. I have found too that blending two of the colours together can be done effortlessly and this usually provides a stunning end result. All three colours contained in the compact compliment each other beautifully, their hues being suited for each other perfectly. By applying the palest of the three shades onto the main 'body' of the eyelid, this provides an attractive 'base' colour which either of the darker shades can be blended into to provide a more noticeable end result. For example, I personally love applying the lightest shade to the eyelid and then blend some of the darkest shade into the corners of the eyelids. This process 'lifts' the paler colour significantly and the end result is really nice. Adding the darkest shade to the outer corners of the eyelids in this way really adds a little 'oomph' and gives a more dramatic end result.

Carrying out this practice too is perfect for re-creating my gorgeous wedding make-up and I find that wearing the middle 'rose' shade alongside the palest shade helps to create this look when worn with some dark eyeliner on the top eyelid. Beautifully vintage - and this effect really makes the "Rose Vintage" product name 'fit' in my opinion.

That is not to say that either of the three shades cannot be worn by its own, and I often use either the middle 'rose' type shade or the palest 'pearl-like' shade in this way. I like the fact that the Smoky Eyes eye shadows can be worn by themselves or with each other as the product feels much more versatile this way.

I think it is worth mentioning that the Bourjois shadows have a slight 'sparkle' in them that is particularly evident in the lighter shades. This should NOT be overestimated however, and fears about having an end result suitable for a 70's themed 'ABBA' party can be put aside! The effect is perhaps best described as a 'sheen' rather than a sparkle, as there is no glitter-type effect or anything and this sheen is not overly noticeable once the eye shadows have been applied to the eyelids. If anything, it adds a 'pearl' like sheen to the end result and it is really attractive, so don't let it put you off.

Applying the shadows is extremely easy and I find that they go on very 'smoothly' without the need for re-application or touching up any areas that have been missed on the first go. I have found that even a quick 'fingertip full' of shadow swept across the eyelid will achieve a near-perfect result if I am in a rush, which could not be said of other eye shadow products I use regularly which smudge or crease far too easily. The powder does create some 'loose' particles during the application process, but no more than other brands and a little 'dabbing' onto the back of my hand prior to application on the eyelid will usually remove most of the excess powder.

One thing I would mention here is that I find the double-tipped applicators provided in the compacts are not overly useful for applying the eye shadows as I find their tips are too small for my own liking. This is even more noticeable when I have chosen to 'blend' two of the colours together and I tend to just use my trusted eye shadow brush to help achieve the desired look. I find too that the small, petite length of the applicators makes them feel quite tricky to use and so the end result can be clumsy as a result. This is not something that would ever deter me from repurchasing a particular eye shadow product, as I am more concerned with how the powder shadow performs itself and I have other applicators and brushes to help with the application process anyway.

The eye shadows used in the Smokey Eyes compacts are of a really high quality in my opinion. I find that the colour remains on my eyes for much longer than when other eye shadow products are used. In actual fact the product comes with a "8 Hour Wear" claim and I would agree with this, finding I can usually obtain slightly more than this before the shadow eventually fades or creases. This fantastic result makes the shadows' slightly higher-than-average price tag seem perfectly justified in my opinion. Furthermore, I find that the colour does not crease easily either which is a huge plus point for me personally, finding a smooth, flawless result instead.

I have noticed nothing in the way of ill effects from using the Bourjois Smoky Eyes eye shadows and there has been no irritation to the sensitive eye area when the product has been worn. The make-up is easily and effortlessly removed with a make-up remover moist wipe or some liquid make-up remover soaked into some cotton wool.

In summary, I would highly recommend the Bourjois Smoky Eyes eye shadow compacts and I have nothing negative to report whatsoever. The colours are easy to apply and easy to blend, with minimal effort being required. The end result is very attractive and as it lasts so well that I feel top marks are appropriate in the product rating score.

As @ the time of writing (August 2012), the Bourjois Smoky Eyes eye shadows 'trios' are available in branches of Boots for the sum of £7.99 each. Alternatively, you can order & purchase online at www.boots.com where postage charges apply.

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A great smoky eye shadow that adds definaition

I am a huge fan of make-up and I love trying new things although there are some things that are a temptation but I never get round to getting. I received a goodie bag for Christmas off my friends and it contained a bourjois mascara, nail varnish and smoky eyes eye shadow trio.

The product comes in a small tub that is partially see through and partially brown in colour. The see through lid shows the trio of colours available for this particular smoky effect. You get 1 creamy light brown shade and 2 others gradually getting darker. You also get a small double ended eye shadow brush which is ideal for using all the colours to create the look. The back of the tub advises that this eye shadow has a silky, easy to blend texture that lasts up to 8 hours. The tub can be opened by pressing a silver button on the rounded side and simply pulling up. The shade i have is mordore chic.

The eye shadows are displayed in little circles and look very attractive and different as they are also slightly curved. To be perfectly honest when I use a smoky eye palette I always go for the colours that are black for night time as the one shown on the dooyoo picture illustrates however as I say it was a gift and I ended up with the brown shades. I assumed the brown variety would be rather neutral and make me feel a little bare but it actually looks great.

To use this palette correctly you would start off with the darkest shade and brush it on to the eye lid area and underneath the bottom lashes if you were going for a night time look. If a day time look is what you are going for then just stick to the eye lid so it doesn't look too drastic. Once you have covered the lid you can start with the second darkest colour, build this up above the colour you have just applied and blend in so there are no visible lines. The lightest colour can then be applied to very top then finish the lashes off with a super coat of mascara.

By using a smoky eye effect you can create definition to the eye area which looks striking and it creates a focal point to the face when keeping the lips neutral.

I love this eye shadow palette, the colour is very rich and they all fit together perfectly when blended on the eye. There is no false advertising with this one as the 8 hour rule is correct, the colour stays put and looks just a good by night as it did when first applying in the morning. I did a little research to find out that this eye shadow will cost £7.99 which I would definitely pay in fact I already have my heart set on the violet one for next time.

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A nice trio of shadows to create a smoky eye.

I bought one of these smoky eye palettes a few years ago. I don't tend to wear eye shadow much any more but when I do I use it for high impact eyes and a smoky eye is the perfect thing.

I tend to think Bourjois are a relatively trustworthy brand, their cosmetics don't tend to be overly showy and therefore what you do get is quality. I also think for a high street range they are reasonably priced and their products are consistently good. Buying an eye shadow that I know I won't use often I therefore wanted it from a brand I could trust as otherwise it would be a total waste of money, and that's why Bourjois were my first choice.

The smoky eye palette is in a compact style pot which has a flip lid. Part of the lid is a grey plastic, like the base, and the other part is clear plastic which allows you to see the three eye shadows. On the inside there are three domed shadows and a double ended applicator. The design is good, I like that you are given the opportunity to see the colours of the shadow - though I do wish it had a mirror on the inside. The applicator has one wide end and one thin end for different types of application. I don't tend to use this because I prefer the precision offered by my own finger but if you do like these applicators then this seems like a good quality one.

The shadows themselves are relatively small, the size of a 5p coin roughly. However, they are generously domed and therefore you do actually get a fairly decent amount of them. They offer this palette in a variety of colours, though I bought mine in the grey range (Gris Dandy). In this one you get a silver shadow, a medium to dark grey and a black shadow. The transition between the colours isn't exactly subtle and therefore blending is really important which luckily these shadows do well.

They feel very smooth and velvety to touch and are really nice to apply. They blend together well and actually look far better than I expect them to given the disparity in colours. I do think some of the colours they have offered in these palettes means that the term smoky is rather loosely used. For example, they do a pink palette but the deepest shade is a fairly bright pink - personally I wouldn't say this would create a smoky eye as much as it would a colour transition/fading. This isn't so much a criticism because my palette obviously does create a smoky eye, I just think they've misused the term slightly.

The overall effect of using the shadows is really nice. These are actually a better consistency than single shadows I've used from the brand which can often be very hard. These are soft enough to apply easily but also don't create a load of excess dust. All in all I really like this product, but I do have one slight issue with it. Since using a slightly more expensive smoky eye kit (see Benefit review) I have practically stopped using this kit and it's due to the colours provided. I find them a little bit harsh for me and in the other kit I used the tones are more closely matched and have a slightly softer fawny edge to them. The other kit is considerably more expensive though so I suppose once it runs out I will probably return to my Bourjois palette.

The eye shadow trio costs £7.99 which seems a really reasonable price for something that has lasted me a couple of years with very little wear. I would like it if the colours were a little softer but it's a cheap and cheerful product which I enjoy using from time to time.

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Disappointed with Bourjois for such a fragile product.

I am generally a fan of Bourjois, I have used their foundation and nail varnish for many years and so have developed a brand loyalty with them. I wanted to branch out into their eye shadow range and, when Boots had a special offer on, bought two of their Smoky Eyes sets in green and brown.

The packaging, on first impressions, seems quite good and attractive, you can see what shades you're buying on the cosmetics shelf due to the see-through plastic exterior. Within the first couple of uses of the product though and the eye shadows began to break up. If, like me, you like to travel with your eye shadow (hence the entire point of the product - all your shadows in one place?) then they will break up and disintegrate. I no longer travel with them and instead have them in a stationary position on my make-up desk, using as short, stiff eye make-up brush to crush up the shadows further to use them effectively.

The eye shadow itself is easy enough to apply onto the eye lids, has staying power and, with the knowledge, you can make your eyes have the "smoky" look with the range of colours the trio comes in.

The full retail price of this from Boots is £7.99 which for 3 shadows does seem value for money but, given my bad experience with this product, I shall not be buying their eye shadows again and, I have to say, I am quite disappointed in Bourjois.

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nice trio of shadows

I recently decided to revamp my make up kit and treat myself to quite a few new bits and pieces. One of the things that I most wanted to purchase was eyeshadow and, having never owned any Bourjois make-up previously, I wanted to see what they had to offer. I noticed their Smoky Eyes range which each contained three different shades and were priced at £7.99. I tend to opt for brown eyeshadows as these suit my colouring best so I purchased the 'Mordore Chic' set.

THE SHADOWS

The Smoky Eyes sets come in variety of different colours. Alongside the brown set that I purchased, there are pink, blue, green, purple, grey and another darker brown-black kit. The kits are packaged in a plastic circular pot, with a clear lid to display the colours underneath. This flips open to allow access to the eyeshadows, which are set in three small circles in a brown plastic base. On the side of these powders, a small applicator is set in the plastic. This is not very large - about 5cm long - and has two sponged ends which can be rubbed on to the eyeshadow and then used to apply this to the eyelids.

The eyeshadows themselves are almost creamy in texture. There is a hint of sparkle to them when they catch the light. In my set, I have a light cream, a light brown and a dark brown. The idea of these sets being that you use them as a colour pallet and apply each colour to a different area of your eyes, blending them together to create a smoky eye effect. The shadows are heaped so they are almost half a sphere in shape.

APPLICATION

I found application with the sponge applicator provided nigh on impossible. I understand the inclusion of this in the set as it means you can put the shadows in your handbag and have the means to apply them if necessary. However, I would suggest it would be very hard indeed to achieve the blending and precision necessary to provide the smoky eye look with this. The sponges are too small and you are unable to get enough grip on the applicator to direct it accurately as it is so small.

When applying with my own make up brushes and applicators, it is much easier. The shadows are so fine that they do crumble a little when you apply the pressure of your applicator, but you are able to get enough of the shadow on your applicator easily. I tend to use mainly the light brown shadow and blend in a little of the dark brown around the sockets and corner of my eye. I find the cream one is great at highlighting along the brow bone. The colours blend easily without having to spend too much time rubbing at them.

THE LOOK

These eyeshadows actually give quite a subtle effect, which surprised me. When I think of smoky eyes, I think of quite a bold, dramatic look. You have to apply quite a lot of the shadows to get a deep, dark colour. This is good in some ways as it allows you to use the same set for both daywear and evening wear as different looks can be obtained simply by applying more or less shadow. However, if you like a dark, dramatic look you will get through this set very quickly! Sometimes I don't use these for the smoky look and just use them as a mono colour - usually the paler brown shade as this gives quite a natural look. Therefore, this is quite a versatile pallet.

The shadows glide on easily and it is easy to correct any mistakes by rubbing at the area to remove the powder. They also last quite well throughout the day - a good 7 or 8 hours of wear and the shadow does not clump or crease. It keeps the same smooth, coloured appearance throughout the day.

OVERALL OPINION

At £7.99 this is not a cheap product - eyeshadows can certainly be picked up much cheaper. Whether this is good value for money or not really depends on your usage. If you want to use the three colours provided to create a smoky look regularly, it is not bad value and a good product for doing this. If you are likely to use each shade separately, it is probably less good value as you could buy the shades separately and get more shadow in the pot - it is inevitable that you will have a favourite shade in the set and use this up first and possibly discard the rest.

I find that the shades in the set combine nicely with each other to create a smoky effect quite easily - much less blending is required with these than a lot of the other colour pallets that I have tried. I also find that the length of time that the shadow stays in place for, and the fact that you can look as good at the end of the day as at the start, means that I am happy to pay the £7.99 pricetag.

For me, it would be preferable to completely remove the applicator provided from the packaging and instead provide a little more of each powder. I have absolutely no use for this and I do begrudge paying for a feature that has such limited use. I understand that this may be convenient if you keep these in your handbag, but even so, I would find this applicator little to no use.

I do like the look the eyeshadows give me and that they can vary from natural to very dramatic by applying more and more - this means that I do not need to own lots of different shadows for different circumstances. I would happily recommend this product to you and will be repurchasing this once I have used mine up.

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A great make-up product for day and night use.

I love the 'smoky' eye shadow effect although I have recently grown tired of the same old light grey/dark grey/black combination which is the one I seem to always go for. With this in mind I headed to my local Boots store on search on some different colours to apply to my eyes and create this effect.

After searching for a little while I decided to opt for the Bourjois Paris Smoky Eyes product which cost £7.99, not too bad for three eye shadows I thought. These eye shadow pots come in eleven different colours including browns, pinks, purples, greens and blues. So there's pretty much a pot for every outfit you own! The eye shadows are housed in a round plastic pot, the lid is mostly clear giving you a clear view of the actual eye shadow and the bottom of the pot is a sold colour depending on the shade of the eye shadows it contains. I went for shade 6 'violet romantic' thus my pot is dark purple in colour. On the back of the pot is a little picture and short instructions on how to create the smoky eye effect using this product. The case is sturdy, the lid stays firmly closed meaning I don't end up with broken eye shadow all over my other make-up products when it's stored in my make-up bag but it's still easy to flip open when you want access to the product.

When you flip open the lid, three eye shadows and a little eye shadow application brush are presented to you. The lightest of the eye shadows being the top colour (in my case white), the darkest shade being the bottom colour (dark purple) and the medium shade inbetween the two (a lilac colour in this one). The colour combination in these pots is perfect, all three shades compliment each other wonderfully and I had a tough time deciding upon which pot to go for at the time of purchase!

Best of all the eye shadows stay put for a long time. Application is easy and obviously if you don't want to go for the smoky eyes effect you can just use these colours individually for a solid eye colour. Creating the effect, however, is quick and easy if you wish to do so. The colour scheme has already been sorted for you and the eye shadows are really blendable and don't create any mess. One of my pet hates is when eye shadow crumbles and I get little specks under my eyes, that doesn't happen when using these shadows. When I apply this product it says all day and all night without the use of primer, it doesn't crease and the colours stay vibrant and neatly blended. I also find it comes off easily using my every day make-up remover wipes which is an added bonus.

I love this little pot and will definitely be purchasing more in different shades in the future. Strongly recommended!

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A good trio of eyeshadows from Bourjois.

As I feel my eyes are my best feature, I tend to emphasise them the most. I usually use one particular eyeliner and one mascara, but I have a variety of eyeshadows I like to use. I like Barry M Dazzle Dust for making a bold statement on an evening out, I have a lovely dark blue colour from Maybelline as well, then two I use for day-to-day. One of these is Bourjois Smoky Eyes eyeshadow trio.

I received this as a birthday present from my eldest daughter last year, so I have been using it for around seven months now. I'm not sure how much she paid for it, as it was a gift, but you can buy it for between £7.50 and £8. It is available in several colours, but mine is a green based trio called 08 - 'vert trendy'. I haven't really worn green eye make up before, as I have dark brown eyes and prefer brown, gold and bronze shades to complement my eyes or a dark blue and purples for a dramatic effect.

They come in a round compact which can easily be fitted into a handbag or make up purse. It has a little push-button mechanism to open, which means it is safe and secure in your bag and should not open accidentally. There are three shades in each one, set into three small round sections plus a double-ended applicator which fits neatly in a little slot alongside the three eyeshadows.

The green one I have features a dark green, which is almost black, then a dark kind of grassy green colour, then the lightest is a pale shimmery white-green. I must admit I wasn't sure how these colours would look on my eyes, but I have been impressed. The applicator is soft and easy to use and it is also strong, if a bit small.

On the reverse of the compact, there is a small drawing explaining how to best use the eyeshadow trio and where each shade should go on your eyes, to give you the best look. It explains the dark shade should be used for sculpting, the medium shade for blending and stretching, then the light shade to illuminate. Everything is written in English and French, as Bourjois is a French company based in Paris - though this particular product is made in Italy!

Using the diagram on the back, I found it quite easy to recreate the look and am pleased with the effect. The applicator works well, the colours go on smoothly without bits falling off and the colours can be blended into each other well.

Most of the time, I just tend to wear one of the shades - the dark green - on its own. I put it all over my lid then add black eyeliner and I like this look for the daytime, as it accentuates my eyes and enhances my looks, without it being too over the top. I am happy wandering round the supermarket like this, knowing I have made an effort to look good, but not too much.

Despite using the Bourjois Smoky Eyes Eyeshadow Trio regularly over the last few months, I have still got plenty of the product left. There is less of the lightest shade left, which seems strange as that is the one I use least. But I would guess this would last me at least a year in total, which is great value for £7.50 or so. It also seems a high quality product and despite having very sensitive eyes, it has never irritated me and it lasts well, although I am not sure the claim it lasts for eight hours is accurate. It is certainly fine for four or five hours, but I would expect to have to touch it up after that kind of time.

It is enriched with mineral powders, dermatologically tested and fragrance free.

You can see all the available colours in the Bourjois Smoky Eyes range at the website - http://www.bourjois.co.uk/catalog/make_up/eyes/eyeshadow/smoky_eyes_trio_eyeshadow

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A trio of complimenting colours, easy to blend, decent staying power but not the 8 hours it claims

As you may know (from other reviews) I own a lot of eye-shadow and am constantly buying more to add to my collection. I am a believer in that you should only 'dress up' your eyes or your lips, not both together. As I like my eyes this means I have a lot of different eye-shadows in all sorts of colours and stick to subtle lip glosses to compliment them.

=== Price and Availability ===

I am one for buying products when they are on offer, and I bought two of these Bourjois trio's a few months ago now when there was a 'buy two, get one free' offer on Bourjois products in Superdrugs, (in case you're interested the other item I bought was a mascara). Each of the eye-shadow trios was £7.49. If you're interested at time of writing (Sept 2012) there is currently another 3 for 2 offer on in Superdrugs.

These eye-shadows are also available in Boots, some supermarkets, and online for around the same price, with a variety of offers often available.

=== Colours ===

The two colours I purchased were 'rose vintage' and 'violet romantic'. Rose vintage, as the name kind of suggests is a husky pink in colour with the three shades being a light, medium and darker version of the same husky pink. Violet romantic has a whiteish colour for the lighter shade, with a light purple, then a dark purple completes the trio. These are the two I own, but I believe there are 13 of these available in total, across a wide range of colours. There are subtle natural colours, blues, greens, purples... Personally I love the rose vintage for a daytime look, and then tend to wear the violet romantic to complete an evening look.

For a full list of colours and to see them 'applied' on models to get an idea of the colour have a look on the trio's section of the Bourjois website:

=== Application ===

These eye-shadows are really easy easy to apply. There is a mini applicator in each, but I choose to use my own applicators rather than the one supplied as the ones in the pot are small, and the actual applicator part seems to be a little rough on my eyelids. With my own applicators (or brush, depending on what I have to hand at the time!) these eye-shadows are really easy to apply, and go on nice and smoothly. The colours are really easy to blend in to each other. If you turn the case upside-down there is a recommended way of applying outlined simply on the bottom, which is a little addition that some people may find useful. The case also claims that the product lasts for 8 hours. I'm not sure if I would go as far to say that it lasts a full 8 hours, but it does have a good staying power in comparison to some other brands on the market. If I apply these eye-shadows in the morning, there is still some colour towards the end of the work day, but it does look faded, so I tend to touch up slightly at some point in the afternoon.

=== Packaging ===

A slight note about the packaging, I really like the fact that to open the case you simply press the little button and lift up the lid. Sometimes these little cases can be really fiddly to open, but that is not the case with these Bourjois products. Another benefit of these little cases with all three colours in means that they are easy to carry around in your handbag - great for if you want to touch up in the middle of the day.

As mentioned, there is also application tips on the back of the case - a nice little addition to standard packaging that you get on most eye-shadows.

=== Summary ===

Overall I think that these eye-shadows are pretty good. They are good quality and I love the colours I have, and the fact that they are so easy to blend to get a nice smoky look. Despite the fact you only get a small amount of each colour I am finding that the colours are lasting a long time, so a plus point from me on that one. Saying that though I have found that I am running out of the lighter colour in each faster than the darkest shade. This is because the darker shades are so vibrant that I only need a teeny amount even when going for a dramatic look. Maybe Bourjois could alter the design slightly so there is less of the darker shades and more of the lighter one? The day will inevitably come when I have run out of the lighter shades, with the darker one remaining.

The staying power of the eye-shadow is actually pretty good compared to other brands I've used in the past, but I don't agree with the claim that they last for 8 hours, which is why I've taken off a star. I'll admit if that claim wasn't there I probably would have given these trios a 5 star rating.

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For long lasting smokey eyes, try another brand

This is a nice little trio of smoky shades - light grey, darker grey, and a very dark grey/black. Most eyeshadows tend to wear off my eyelids fairly quickly, especially if wearing them at work all day. I thought I would spend a little more on Bourjois eyeshadow as the likes of Rimmel and Boots 17 eyeshadows aren't particularly durable, I find.

The eyeshadow goes on very well, and it blends very easily if you want to mix the shades. It looks like a solid block of colour on your eyelid, and only takes a couple of strokes of the wand to apply to your whole eyelid. While this product definitely lasts longer than cheaper brands, I do find that it only takes a couple of hours to wear off, leaving a greasy-ish line of colour in the crease of your eyelid. Not nice.

Considering the brand is Bourjois and is one of the pricier brands, I was expecting more and so was a tad disappointed. Also, the case also broke easily and looked a bit cheaper than I'd expect this brand to be.

A good product - but really not worth paying extra for. For day to day wear you'd be better just buying a cheaper brand, and for more important occasions it'd be worth splashing out a little extra on a different brand.

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Sexy Smoky eye's in just a few minutes!

***SMOKEY EYES***This trio eye-shadow set is made by Bourjois Paris and is available to buy in 7 different shades which include Black, Nude, Rose, Violet, Green, Brown & Beige colours. These eye shadow set's can be used to create a smoky eye look which will last up to 8 hours. The eye-shadows are compacted into a small round case which is made of plastic and also comes with a double ended foam tipped applicator. The eye-shadow is enriched with mineral powders for an amazing blend and colour that lasts. The product is fragrance free and has been dermatologically tested.

***PRICE/AVALIABILITY***I purchased this from my local Boots store for about £7.99; this is currently on offer in Boots with other Bourjois products on 3 for 2. You can also buy this from stores such as Superdrug. I only noticed 3 different colours in my local Boots store so I'm not sure if all of these are available to buy from boots or not.

***USING THE PRODUCT***I chose the darker coloured trio set (01 gris dandy) which included black, grey and a silver eye-shadow. There are instructions on the back on how to use this product which is very simple.

1) Using the dark shade sculpt your eyes by applying this to the top and bottom lash lines.2) Use the slightly lighter shade to blend and stretch over the eye socket.3) Use the lightest shade to illuminate up to your brow bone.

This product was very simple and easy to use and the eye shadow just glide's on with minimum effort and doesn't leave bits of eye-shadow falling onto your cheek bones as you apply the product. The applicator which comes with the eye-shadow is a little fiddly as it's quite small, how-ever it does a good job at applying the colour's and will be perfect for touch up's, if you need to use it or top it up when you are out. I didn't need to use a lot of the colour as they are quite strong and dark colours and I didn't want it to end up looking like I had panda eyes.

***THE RESULTS***I wasn't too sure about how dark this product was at first then I got used to it as I wore it through-out the day and thought my eye's looked very eye-catching and professional. I wasn't too sure on the lightest silver colour which was used to illuminate my brow bone so admittedly I did wipe this colour off. I often suffer from dry, sore eye's so wasn't sure how this would react to my eye's but it was gentle and didn't irritate my eyes. The colour lasted all night long and there was no need to re-apply the product through-out the night. The eye-shadow is easily removed with a facial/make up remover wipe with minimum effort.

(review will also appear on ciao)

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Product Details

For a failproof, sophisticated smoky eye look that last 8 hours / Contained in a modern and feminine compact case, are three hues of complementary intensity. At the back, professional make up artist tips will help you to achieve step by step a classic smoky or a fashion smoky eye look / Manufactured with the same process which has made our Little Round Pot famous since 1863, these eyeshadows possess the same qualities of flexibility and softness: an ultra fine, silky, micronised formula for an amazing blend, lasting 8 hours / The ergonomic, double-tipped applicator has been specially designed to outline your eyes according to your wishes / And whats more, its formula respects the delicate eye area : enriched with mineral powders, free of fragrance and dermatologically tested, it is suitable for sensitive eyes.